Lighting fixture



Aug. 9, 1932. FARMER 1,870,618

LIGHTING FIXTURE Filed May 31, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet l Wit 7:58:37? #11,

Aug. 9, 1932. R FARMER 1,870,618

LIGHTING FIXTURE Filed May 31, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 gunk g- 1932- FIR. FARMER 1,370,613

7 LIGHTING FIXTURE Filed May 31, 1930 I5 Sheets-Sheet 3 v v vv w a lfimmuiiii will I! Patented Aug. 9, 1932 UNITED STATES FRED B. FARMER, OF WIL-METTE, ILLINOIS LIGHTING FIXTURE Application filed May 31, 1930. Serial No. 457,691.

My invention relates to a lighting fixture, more especially intended for commercial use or lighting and has for its object the provision of a fixture comprising an upper or suspended unit or member and a lower bowlholding unit or member, with means whereby the lower member is removably and adjustably secured to the upper member in a manner which will provide for proper ventilation of the fixture; said means being such that the ventilating area or opening intermediate of the upper and lower members may be varied in keeping with the size of the lighting element or electric bulb, while at the same time enabling the bowl to be properly positioned relative to the filament oi the bulb and therefore in keeping with the size of the bulb.

Another object of the invention is to provide means whereby the lower member or ge unit is detachably secured to the upper memher or unit in such manner that the lower unit with the glass globe or bowl may be easily removed from the upper unit without the necessity of releasing set screws or fastenings as heretofore employed; the detachment being readily accomplished by proper rotative movement of the lower unit relative to the upper unit.

The objects and advantages of my invention will be readily comprehended from the detailed description of the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 illustrates a lighting fixture in suspended condition and provided with my invention.

Figure 2 is a similar view with a portion of the holder members or units broken away and shown in section.

Figure 3 is a cross sectional view taken substantially on the line 33 of Figure 1 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 4 is a cross sectional view taken substantially on the line 44: of Figure 8.

Figure 5 is a sectional view of a portion of a lighting fixture illustrating a modified form oi. my invention.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the upper unit of the glass or bowl holder employed in the construction shown in Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a top perspective view of the glass or bowl and the lower holding unit employed in connection with the unit illus trated in Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a perspective View of another modified form oi the upper unit of the glass or bowl holder.

Figure 9 is a top perspective view of the glass or bowl with the lower unit attached thereto which is employed in connection with the top unit shown in Figure 8; a portion of the bowl being broken away.

Figure 10 is a fragmentary sectional view of the upper and lower units of the holder shown in Figures 8 and 9, with a portion of the bowl.

My invention is especially intended for use with a lighting fixture which is supported from above, namely a fixture which is to be suspended from the ceiling by any suitable means as a chain or rod, or wherein the upper unit may be directly attached to the ceiling. The fixture shown in the drawings involves a suitable canopy as indicated for example at 15, provided with suitable suspension means such as the chain indicated at 16, whereby the upper unit 17 of the holder is suspended in place.

The upper unit 17 which may have any ornamental design and be of any suitable shape, is in the nature of a shell provided with the usual lamp holding socket, as at 18, in Figure 1, for the purpose of receiving the electric light bulb 19 which latter may be of any suitable size desired, as for example the light bulb may be a hundred watt, two hundred watt, or greater.

The top holder unit 1'1, as illustrated in the drawings, at bottom, is provided with an annular, flange or laterally disposed annular base 20 terminating in a depending flange 21. m The laterally disposed base 20, at suitable spaced points circumterentially thereabout, is shown provided with a suitable number of elongated arcuate slots 23. In the specific exemplification of the invention, the upper unit 17 of the holder is shown provided with three slots arranged as shown in Figure 3 although it will be understood that any suitable number of such slots may be provided in keeping with the size of the fixture.

example by the usual set-screws 32.

One end of each slot 23 is enlarged as shown at 24 in Figure 3, and this enlarged end surrounded on its outer sides with an upstanding lip or ridge 25; while the slots, at a slight distance'removed from the enlarged rounded ends, are each provided on opposite sides with upstanding walls or stepped flanges 26; and the opposite end of each slot is provided with the upstanding wall 27 which preferably extends slightly above the adjacent ends of the upstanding side flanges or walls 26.

The side upstanding flanges or walls 26 are each formed to provide substantially horizontally disposed portions or surfaces 28 and inclined portions 29 which extend slightly above the plane of the next adjacent horizontal portion or surface 28 in order to provide an upstanding shoulder at the end of each horizontal portion or surface 28 opposite to the end which connects with the up wardly sloping portions 29. I

The holder also involves a lower unit 30 to which the fixture bowl 31 is intended to be securedin any well known manner, as for The lower unit 30 is preferably in the nature of a band provided at top with the inwardly disposed annular flange or portion 33. The upper surface of the flange 33 of band 30 is provided with an annular groove 34eadapted to receive the depending flange 21 of the upper unit 17 during certain adjustments of the fixture.

The top flange portion 33 of the lower unit 30, at spaced apart points circumferentially thereabout, is provided with the upstanding portions or pins 35 terminating in rounded heads or knobs 36. The pins 35 (of number equal to the number of slots employedin the upper unit) may be integrally or otherwise suitably secured to the lower unit 30; and the headsor knobs 36 are of a size greater than the transverse dimensions or width of the slots 23 in the upper unit, but of size slightly less than the size of the rounded enlarged ends 24 of the slots, in order that the heads 36 of the pins may be inserted upwardly through the enlarged rounded ends 24 of the slots when the fixture is being assembled.

The flange 33 is preferably of sufficient width to extend into the circle defined by the flange 21 of the top unit 17 in order that it may act as a light-ray deflecting flange to prevent passage of light-rays through the space between the two units 17 and 30.

In the installation of my improved fixture, the lower unit 30 is secured to the glass or bowl 31; the electric bulb is screwed into the socket in the upper unit 17; the bowl with the lower unit 30 is then lifted beneath the suspended upper unit and the heads 36 of the various pins passed upwardly through the enlarged rounded ends 24 of the slots 23. The bowl and lower unit are then slightly rotated so as to pass the heads 36 of the pins into the narrower portions of the slots 23 beyond the rounded ends 24 thereof.

As my improved fixture is especially intended for commercial purposes or commercial illumination requiring large bulbs to be employed, it is essential to provide suitable ventilation for the bowl. and lower part of the fixture as well as to provide means whereby a positioning of the bowl relative to the filament of the bulb may be obtained. That is to say. my improved fixture involves means which will permit a raising or lowering of the bowl or glass of the fixture so that the filament portion of the bulb may be disposed substantially centrally within the bowl in order that efiicient lighting may be obtained. It will be understood that where an electric bulb'of five hundred watt capacity is used, the filament of the bulb will be disposed at a greater distance from the u per end of the bulb and therefore a greaterdistance removed from the upper unit of the holder 17 than would be the case where an electric bulb of saythree hundred watts is employed.

In order to secure the proper lighting ef fect, it is therefore essential to provide means whereby the glass-holding unit of the holder may be regulated in its relation to the upper unit of the holder so as to accommodate the fixture to different sized bulbs. That is to say, where a five hundred Watt bulb is cur ployed, the lower uni t with the bowl should be dropped down into a suspended position farther'removed from the upper unit of the holder'than would be the case where a four hundred or a three hundred watt lamp or bulb is employed. In addition toadjusting the glass bowl relative to the position of the filament of the bulb, it is also essential to provide for greater ventilation where the size of the bulb increases and this is obtained by regulating the distance between the upper'unit 17 and the lower unit 30, namely between the depending flange portion 21 of the upper-unit 17 and the upper face of the lower unit 30, as clearly shown in Figure 4:.

In Figure 1,, for purposes of illustration, I hate provided the fixture with a bulb 19 of say five hundred watt capacity and therefore a fixture requiring the maximum amount of ventilation. Vith a bulb of the size mentioned, the heads 36 of the pins 35 are positioned so as to be seated on the lowermost seating surfaces immediately adjacent the rounded enlarged ends 24 of the slots, thereby causing the lower unit of the holder with the glass bowl to be lowered where the filament of the bulb may be disposed somewhat centrally between the top and bottom of the bowl, while at the same time providing a large ventilating space between the upper and lower units, as shown in Figures 1 and 4.

In Figure 2, I illustrate the fixture provided with a smaller bulb and therefore with the Cir lower unit and the bowl 31 raised above the position shown in Figure 1 so as to position the bowl relative to the bulb filament. lVhere the smaller bulb is employed, less ventilation is required.

The enlarged ends 24 of the slots 23 are provided with the upstanding lips or rims 25 especially adjacent to the lowermost seating step or surface 28 so as to prevent the accidental shifting of the heads 36 of the pins toward the enlarged ends; and each seating surface is provided with the upstanding shoulders or lips 29 to prevent a shifting or slipping of heads 36 toward the adjacent lower seating surfaces.

It is apparent from this construction that in order to adjust the bowl it is necessary to raise the bowl during the rotative movement so as to permit the heads 36 on the pins 35 to clear the upstanding shoulders or lips heretofore referred to and that accidental displacement of the bowl is prevented. W hen the pins are seated adjacent to the enlarged ends 24 of the slots, as shown in Figure 3, the fixture is adjusted for the largest bulb capable of use with the fixture whereas when the pins are seated at the opposite ends of the slots, the fixture is adjusted for the smallest bulb capable of use therein.

In Figures 5 to 7, I illustrate a modified form of my invention, wherein the bowl 31 is secured in the lower unit 30 which is substantially identical with the unit shown in the previous figures, with the exception that the pins 37 secured to the lower unit 30, at spaced apart points ciroumferentially thereabout on the upper surface, have their upper ends bent outwardly substantially at right angles, as shown in Figures 5 and 7, for the purpose of entering the slots 38 formed in the depending annular flange 39 of the upper unit 40 of the holder. The slots 38 each have one end open at the lower perimeter of the flange 39 and are arranged at an upward circumferential inclination and provided with various steps or seating faces as at 41, see Figure 6, for the purpose of receiving the outwardly disposed upper ends of the pins 37. The upper unit 40, like unit '17, is intended to be provided with the usual light bulb holding socket which latter may be of any suitable size. It is apparent from the construction shown that the bowl of the fixture, after having the lower holding unit 30 secured thereto by means of the usual set screws as at 32, the bowl with the lower holding unit is then pressed upward so as to have the pins 37 enter the lower open ends of the slots 38 and by means of rotation cause the pins to be seated on the desired seats 41 of the slots so as to control the spacing between the two units of the holder for purposes of ventilation, while at the same time adjusting the bowl relative to the filament of the light bulb employed, for the purposes as heretofore mentioned.

In Figures 8 to 10, I illustrate another modification of the invention, wherein the lower bowl holding unit 30 is substantially 5 identical with the lower holding unit previously described and wherein the top of the unit is provided with pins 37 similar to those shown in Figures 5 and 7, namely with their upper ends bent outwardly, except that the upper bent ends of the pins 37 may be somewhat shorter than those shown in Figure 7 because of the different arrangement or formation of the pin seating or receiving elements arranged in the upper holder unit 42 whose general construction is similar to that previously described, with the exception that the depending flange portion 43 on its inner face is provided with enlarged wall portions 44 arranged at spaced apart points circumferentially thereabout, namely at spaced intervals in keeping with the spacing between the respective pins 37 of the lower holder unit. The enlarged wall portions 44 are provided on their upper edges with pin-receiving seating surfaces 45 arranged in different horizontal planes; each seating surface, at one end, being provided with upstanding portions or lips 46 for the purpose of preventing slippage of the pins off of the seating surfaces 45. It is apparent from the construction shown in Figures 8 and 10 that the relation between the lower holder unit 30 and the upper holder unit 42 may be regulated or determined by a partial rotation of the bowl and lower holding unit relative to the upper unit 42 so as to seat the out-turned ends of the pins 37 on any one of the seating surfaces 45.

That is to say, by rotating the bowl with the lower holding unit so as to move the pin 37 from the left toward the right in Figures 8 and 10, the bowl with the lower unit will be brought into closer relation with the upper holder unit 42; the same being true in the construction shown in Figures 5 to 7. Such movement induces a closer relation between the two units than exists with the positioning of the pin, as shown in Figure 10. It is also apparent that by such movement, position of the bowl or glassware, relative to the filament of the light bowl, is also regulated so that when a light bulb of less wattage is employed, the bowl may be elevated so as to somewhat position the filament of the light bulb centrally intermediate of the top and bottom of the bowl. The enlarged portions 44 may either be cast integral with the upper holder unit, or these portions may be separately made and then brazed, welded or otherwise integrally secured to the inner face of the depending flange 43 of the upper holding unit 42.

I have shown what I believe to be the simplest embodiments of my invention which has been described in terms employed merely as terms of description and not as terms of limitation, as structural modifications are possible and may be made without, however, 5 departing from the spirit of my invention.

' What I claim is:

i 1. A lighting fixture comprising a supporting bulbholding unit provided with circumferential spaced apart groups of horizontal surfaces, the horizontal surfaces of each group being successively disposed in different horizontal planes; and a bowl holding unit provided on its top with upstanding pins terminating in enlarged ends adapted to loosely seat on the preselected surfaces of said groups of surfaces, whereby upward pressure on and rotative movement of the bowl-holding unit positions the pins for seating on the preselected surfaces and thereby '29 regulates the relation between the two units.

2. A lighting fixture comprising a supporting bulb-holding unit having a laterally disposed base portion provided with circumfereutially spaced apart slots having horizontal surfaces arranged successively in different horizontal planes; and a bowl-holding unit provided with a plurality of upstanding pins adapted to extend through said slots, the pins terminating in lateral portions adapted to engage said surfaces at the slots in the bulbholding unit for suspending the bo\vlholding unit in place whereby the relation between the two units may be altered by lifting and rotating the bowl-holding unit so as to seat the ends of the pins on the preselected surfaces.

3. A lighting fixture comprising a support- 7 ing bulb-holding unit provided with a laterally disposed flange having a plurality of 740 circumferentially spaced and horizontally disposed slots, each having an opening at one end and closed at the other, parallelly arranged vertical ribs on opposite sides of each slot, said ribs on their upper surfaces 745 being stepped from end to end to provide a a plurality of horizontal seating surfaces arranged in successive planes one above the other and a bowl-holding unit provided with upstanding headed pins arranged circumferentially spaced apart on the upper end of said unit and adapted to pass upwardly through theopenings at the ends of said slots while the heads of the pins are adapted to rest on the preselected seating surfaces on opposite sides ofthe slots and thereby support the bowl holding units in preselected juxtaposed relation with the bulb-holding unit.

4. A lighting fixture of the character described comprising an upper unit provided with a plurality of gradatory surfaces arranged in groups at circumferentially spaced apart points, said surfaces being formed with upstanding stop surfaces at the ends of the gradatory surfaces; and a lower bowl-hold- 65 ing unit provided at top with a light deflecting annular flange adapted to extend within thecircumference of the lower end of the upper unit; the top of the lower unit having a plurality of upwardly disposed pins whose upper ends extend laterally and are adapted to seat on the respective gradatory surfaces of the different groups whereby the spaced relation between the two units may be regulated through rotation of one unit relative to the other.

5. A lighting fixture of the character described comprising a bowl holding unit pro Vided with a plurality of upstanding pins having laterally disposed ends and arranged at circumferentially spaced intervals, and a bulb-receiving unit provided with groups of horizontal surfaces arranged circumferentially in different horizontal planes with the ends of each surface having upstanding stops, the respective surfaces being adapted to receive the outer ends of said pins and thereby suspendingly support the bowl-holding unit beneath the bulb-holding unit and to control the spaced relation between the units.

FRED R. FARMER. 

